Propeller shank forming press



July 3, 195] F. A. GRUETJEN PROPELLER SHANK FORMING PRESS e sheets-sheet` 1 Filed March 5, 1945 July 3, 1951 F. A. GRUETJEN 2,558,845v

PROPELLER SHANK FORMING PRESS Filed March 3, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Y fw July 3, 1951 F. A. GRUETJEN PROPELLER SHANK FORMING PRSS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 5, 1945 INVNTOR, A @fain/5V ArraPA/y F. A. GRUETJEN PROPELLER SHANK FORMING PRESS July 3, 195] 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 5, 1945 IN VEN TOR. ,WMM/af ,4, Mfr/M July 3, 1951 F. A. GRUETJEN PROPLLER SHANK FORMING PRESS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 5, 1945 NNN atentecl July 3, 1951 PROPELLER SHANK FORMING PRESS Frederick A. Gruetjen, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to A. O. Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of New York Application March 3, 1945, Serial No. 580,894

(Cl. 'F8- 96) 9 Claims. l This invention relates to a propeller shank forming press.

The object of the invention is to provide a press for flattening the blade end of a shank section of a hollow steel propeller to match the thrust and camber faces of the body section of the blade.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which will fit between the platens of a standard press and which will form the larger conical end of a shank to flatten the same.

Another object is to provide for simple mandrel mechanism for supporting the blank intermediate the dies as one of the dies approaches the other, to maintain the blank centered so that each die operates thereon simultaneously and in a given amount.

Another object is to provide a collapsible mandrel against which the end of the blank is formed and which can be readily inserted and withdrawn from the blank.,

Another object is to provide for rapid loading and unloading of a press of the class referred to.

Other objects and advantages will be set forth in the description of an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation of the press with the dies closed upon a blank;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged central transverse vertical section through the dies and mandrel;

Fig. 3 is a similar vertical longitudinal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. l without the blank;

- Fig. 5 is a detail View in horizontal section showing the loading of a blank;

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical section taken on line -t of Fig. 5 and showing the blank turned to a position for receiving the mandrel; and

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the dies open.

The press comprises in general the ordinary base or platen I with an upstanding frame sup-.- porting the upper vertically movable cross head or platen 2 operated by a hydraulic cylinder or other suitable operating mechanism.

The invention comprises a unit which lits between the platens I and 2 of the press and which has a base 3 secured to the platen I and a movable top 4 secured to the upper platen 2. The base 3 carries a lower die 5 while the top 4 carries an upper die 6. The dies 5 and 6 have complementary faces for forming the larger end of a conical tubular blank I to match the shape of a blade section of a propeller.

*y sleeve I5.

The blank l is held by its circular hub end which is inserted in a clamp 8 and secured therein by a thumb screw 9. The clamp 8 is supported on a sleeve I0 vertically movable on a cylindrical upright post I I secured in the base 3. The sleeve I0 is raised and lowered by a pair of levers I2, each pivoted at one end to an upstanding bracket I3 on base 3 and connected at the other end t0 the top 4 by links I4. The levers I2 have sliding blocks |5 which are pivoted to trunnions I6 on the The blocks I5 are disposed approximately midway between the pivot points of the respective levers I2 so that as the top 4 is lowered and the dies come toward each other, the blocks I5 and sleeve I0 with its clamp 8 and blank I move downwardly at about half the speed of top 4, thereby bringing both dies'into contact with the blank simultaneously and effecting forming of the blank substantially equally by both dies.

The clamp 8 is pivoted on sleeve I0 and a handle I'I serves to provide for manual rotation of the clamp between loading position for clamp 8 and operating position for the press.

A collapsible mandrel I8 is provided to be inserted in the blank I and serve to form the same internally as the dies 5l and 6 come together. The mandrel I8 is supported on across head I9 secured between sleeves 20 and 2| on a pair of spaced upright posts 22 and 23, respectively. The vertical movement of the sleeves and cross head is provided by a pair of levers 24 pivoted at one end to brackets 25 on base 3 and connected at the other end to the top 4 by links 26. vSliding blocks 21 in the levers 24 are pivoted on trunnions 28 on the respective sleeves. The vertical movement of mandrel I8 is obtained from the movement of top 4 in the same manner as the movement of clamp 8 is obtained therefrom.

For the purpose of moving mandrel I8 endwisev into and out of the blank 1, the mandrel is mounted on a slide 29 which operates in a guide 30 in the cross head I9. Operation of slide 29 is produced by air cylinder 3| pivotally mounted on the sleeves 2| and 22 beneath the cross head and having its piston rod 32 pivotally connected to a lever 33 Which is in turn linked at its upper end to the slide 29 to move it in and out. The lever 33 is pivoted at its lower end to a lixed bracket 34 on the cylinder support.

The collapsible mandrel I8 comprises a pair of forming dies 35 and 36 and an intermediate tending from clamp 8 and which is bifurcated at its end to engage the dies and leave the wedge free to move.

The mandrel I8 has a greater composite thickness at its end which is inserted in the blank 1 than at its support end. This requires that the dies 35 and 36 be disassembled from wedge 31 in order to remove each piece separately from the blank after forming. The pieces of the mandrel are then assembled again for a succeeding forming operation. Y

The mandrel is mounted in a mannercompensating for tolerance variations in thickness of the blank so that the pressure of the dies and 8 on the top and bottom of the blank will always be equalized through the mandrel. For

this purpose, the Wedge member '31 is adjustably' mounted in a block 39 which has a vertical-shaft 40 pivoted in bearings HTjspaced above and below the block. The bearings 4I are disposed in the arms' of the slide 29. Coil springs 42 surround the shaft 40 between block 39 and bearings 4I and serve to keep the block centered and at the same time to allow it and mandrel I8 to be moved up or down to effect the compensation referred to. t Adjustment ofthe wedge 31 longitudinally of block 39 determines the thickness of the mandrel in position for the die forming operation.

For the purpose of holding the mandrel I3 against lateral pivoting on the trunnions 40, a x

latch 43 is xed to a shaft 44 pivotally mounted in the arm supporting the upper bearing 4I, the plates of the latch normally hanging on either side of the block 39 and preventing its lateral movement. When it is desired to manually apply the dies 35 and 38 to wedge 31, latch 43 is pivoted upwardly and wedge 31 vpivoted laterally to expose its end for ready application of the dies. ment with bar 38 and clamp 8, and the latch 43 dropped in place to holdit there.

The reciprocation of Vmandrel I8 and slide 29 in guide 30 is limited in retraction by the adjustable stop 45 at the rear of guide 38, and in its forward .movement by the adjustable stop 46 at the end of bar 38.

The operation of the press in one complete cycle is as follows: the dies 5 and 6 are separated with top 4 in its uppermostposition. The mandrel is retracted to a position where slide 29 vengages stop 45. The latch 43 is manually pivoted upwardly andfwedge 31 swung forwardly to receive dies 35 and 38 which are then applied thereto. The assembled mandrel I8 is Vthen swung back to'operating positionfand latch 43 is dropped.

To load the press, handle I1 is utilized to pivot sleeve I8 and bring clamp 8 forward. A blank 1 is then applied over bar 38 and inserted in clamp 8 and tightened by thumb screw 9. The sleeve I0 is then pivoted back to operative position where the blank 1 is disposed in alignment with the dies 5 and 6 and about midway therebetween.

The air cylinder 3l is then operated to cause mandrel I8 to enter the end of the blank until dies 35 and 38 engagethe end of bar 38. Further movement of wedge 31 expands the mandrel to operative size. Then the press is operated by lowering platen 2 and top 4. This brings'die 8 downward,'and as it lowers toward die 5, the blank 1, clamp 8 and mandrel I8 are also lowered to maintain their position midway of the dies. As dies 5 Vand 8 Aengage the blank 1 'the latter is formed upon the mandrel IB.

After forming, pressure on the dies 5 and 6 The wedge is then pivoted back to align- 4 l is released and air cylinder 3l operated to retract wedge 31 from the dies 35 and 35. The top 4 is then raised, separating dies 5 and 6 and raising the blank 1 from die 5. The handle I1 is again used to pivot the blank forwardly, thumb screw 9 loosened and the formed blank removed. The dies 35 and 38 are removed from the formed blank ready for assembly with wedge 31, as before'described for a similar succeeding forming cycle.

In order toprevent jamming of dies 35 and 38 upon wedge V`31 when the latter is retracted, it is preferable to provide a pair of spring latches "41 secured to the end of the respective dies 5 and r6 to engage the outer end of the dies 35 and 36 when the dies 5 and 6 are in closed position. The latches 41 prevent dies 35 and 36 from moving with wedge 31 and serve to break the latter loose without jamming.

The invention may have various embodiments within the vscope of the accompanying claims.

I claim:

l. In apparatus for forming hollow metal articles, a pair of relatively movable dies having complementary die faces, a mandrel made up of a plurality of interlocked parts assembledand disassembled by relative longitudinal movement, means to open and close the dies to form an article upon said mandrel, means to remove one part of said mandrel longitudinally from the articleto thereby release the mandrel from the article, and means to pivot the mandrel from between the dies to an assembly position to assemble the parts thereof.

2.V In apparatus for forming hollow metal articles, a pair of relatively movable dies having complementary diefaces, a work holder for supporting an article between said dies, and means to move said dies relatively to each other, means connected to said rst named means and synchronizedy in'movement therewith, to move said work holder and article during closing of the dies at a rate maintaining the article equally spaced'from said dies until both dies close upon the article.

3. In apparatus for forming hollow metal articles, alpai'r of relatively movable dies having complementary die faces, a post Xed relative to one die and extending inthe direction of relative die motion toward the other die, a work holder slidable upon said post, a lever having one end operatively connected to the base of the apparatus and the other end operatively l connected to one of the dies to move with said dies, and pivote-dmeans Yconnecting the center o f said lever with said work holder to slide the holder vertically along the post upon which the holder is assembled as the dies are moved relative to each other to support the work substantially'midway between the dies at all times.

4. In apparatus for forming hollow metal articles, an upper die, a lower die, means to move one of said dies relatively toward and away from the other, a work holder for supporting ing and lowering of the movableV die at a ratio of approximately 1:2.

5. In apparatus for forming hollow metal articles, a iixed die member, a movable die member, means to move said movable die member toward and away from said xed die member, a work holder disposed to support an article mi-dway between said die members, and means connected to said movable die member and to said work holder to move said work holder at a speed of approximately one-half that of said movable die to maintain the article centrally between said dies and effect contact of the dies upon the article substantially simultaneously.

6. In apparatus for forming hollow metal articles, a fixed die member, a movable die membeiymeans to move said movable die member toward and away from said fixed die member, a work holder disposed to support an article midway between said die members, and a lever connected to said means and to said work holder and operated by said means to move said work holder at a speed of approximately one-half that of said movable die to maintain the article centrally between said dies and eiTect contact of the dies upon the article substantially simultaneously.

7. In apparatus for forming hollow metal articles, a mandrel having a longitudinally tapered central wedge member and two forming die members interlocked therewith, means to drive the wedge member forwardly between the die members to provide for expansion and contraction of the mandrel by the relative longitudinal movement of the wedge and the die members, said mandrel being adapted to be disposed as a unit through one end of the tubular article to be formed, a separate bar extending into the article through the end opposite the end through which the mandrel is inserted and having a bifurcated end abutted against the die members of the mandrel to hold the same against movementas the wedge is driven forwardly to expand the mandrel, means to form the article upon the mandrel, and means to withdraw the central wedge from the mandrel to collapse the same and release the die members from the article.

8. In apparatus for forming hollow metal blanks, a mandrel disposed to enter a tubular blank being formed, a pair of relatively movable dies for forming the blank upon the mandrel, mechanical means to automatically reciprocate the mandrel in a direction at right angles to the direction of closing of said dies to enter the same in the blank, and mechanical means to automatically reciprocate the mandrel in the direction of die movement to support the blank centrally of the dies during such movement.

9. In apparatus for forming hollow metal blanks, a mandrel disposed to enter a tubular blank being formed and comprising two forming members interlocked to a central wedge member movable longitudinally thereof, a pair of relatively movable dies for forming the blank upon the mandrel, means to reciprocate the mandrel in a direction at right angles to the direction of closing of said dies to enter the same in the blank, mechanical means to automatically reciprocate the mandrel in the direction of die movement to support the blank centrally of the dies during such movement, and cushion means disposed on each side of the cuter end of the wedge of the mandrel for additionally locating the mandrel accurately between the dies when the latter are closed upon the blank to equalize the pressure of the dies through the mandrel.

FREDERICK A. GRUETJEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 'le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 180,169 Tasker July 25, 1876 696,068 Morgan Mar. 25, 1902 706,517 Boyd Aug. 12, 1902 961,128 Higgins June 14, 1910 980,216 Devine Jan. 3, 1911 1,112,695 Groehn Oct. 6, 1914 1,459,592 Latta et al. June 19, 1923 1,713,962 Grossweischede May 21, 1929 2,053,291 Keller Sept. 8, 1936 2,067,568 Grunthal Jan. 12, 1937 2,221,539 Gehret Nov. 12, 1940 2,312,094 Harmon Feb. 23, 1943 2,314,686 Brosius Mar. 23, 1943 2,326,660 Kosha Aug, 10, 1943 2,327,117 Lorant Aug. 17, 1943 2,341,602 Dewey Feb. 15, 1944 2,343,403 Criley Mar. 7, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 287,193 Great Britain Mar. 6, 1928 346,455 Germany Jan. 2, 1922 

